In a recent study, scientists showed that poor sleep could cause heart disease in healthy adults. According to the study authors, individual aspects of theSleep disorders are detrimental to heart healthimpact. However, when these are combined with other factors, the risk of disease could increase by 141 percent, according to the study results.
When poor sleep leads to heart problems
The research team reviewed sleep data from 6,820 adults with an average age of 53 years. Study participants self-reported their sleep characteristics and history of heart disease. Of the participants, 633 also wore a research device (actigraphy) that recorded sleep activity around their wrist. The researchers focused on several aspects of sleep health. These included regularity, satisfaction, alertness during waking hours, timing of sleep, sleep efficiency and sleep duration. They linked this to heart disease diagnosed by the doctor. The scientists found that each additional increase in self-reported sleep problems was associated with a 54 percent increased risk of heart disease. The estimated risk of heart disease associated with an increase in sleep problems was much higher for those who provided sleep data through both self-reports and the research device. An increase of 141 percent was observed.
The research suggests that accurate and comprehensive measurement of sleep quality could improve early detection of heart disease. The researchers also found that while women reported more sleep health problems, men were more likely to suffer from heart disease. However, gender did not affect the overall correlation between the two factors. While sleep health is important for all ages, the team focused on middle adulthood because it spans a longer period of time and consists of diverse and more stressful life experiences due to work and family roles. This is also when precursors to heart disease and age-related sleep problems appear. Since poor sleep can be improved, the results couldthis studycontribute to future prevention strategies to reduce the risk of heart disease.
